There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly. Buckminster Fuller

In my opinion, the greatest facet of life, about living is indeed our divine and inborn ability to create, nothing is as fully expansive (far-reaching) and rewardingnothing! For example Have you ever watched four and five-year-olds at play? They are starry-eyed, curious and highly creative in their games. They dont know yet, what they dont know. Their creative limits have no bounds; no one has impressed upon them that they cant do something. Theyre fearless explorers, artists, or musicians; some are even comedians in the making. They have not yet been pressured to conform and they think they can do anything and that nothing is beyond their capabilities.

Research shows that every human being is capable of creative thought. We have creative abilities that often show up very early in life. Studies show that the average adult thinks of only three to four alternate ideas for any given situation, while the average child can come up with sixty. They have proven that as far as creativity is concerned, quantity equals quality. Having the subjects make a list of ideas, they have shown that the longer the list, the higher the quality of the final solution. The very best ideas usually appear at the end of the list.

Actually, creativity is bred into us as humans; its in our genes - a part of our very DNA. Unfortunately, as we grow older, the pressures of having to grow up, go to school, get a job, all seem to repress our creative tendencies. The stress of everyday living, coupled with occasional dilemmas, leaves us too drained to be truly creative.

But creativity is power and is essential to our well-being. Without creativity, our lives become predictable, routine, boring, and pedantic. The good news is we can all be highly creative. Now I know youre saying, But Im not at all creative. I cant paint or even draw a straight line, I dont know one note from another, and Ive never been able to write worth a darn. Poetry? Dont make me laugh! Okay, so most of us are not Edison, DaVinci, Einstein, Mozart, or Shakespeare. However, we are all creative in our own way. We simply have to recognize our own unique talents and skills. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you constantly looking for new goals, something new to accomplish?
2. Do you like to look at what already exists and ask What if?
3. When you try something new and different, does it make you feel smarter?
4. Do you enjoy teaching someone a new skill?
5. Are you good at problem solving?

Then, pat yourself on the back - you are a creative person! Creativity doesnt always result in a tangible product. Sometimes its ideas, problem solving, or teaching; but it is indeed, creativity in action. Creativity enables us to better ourselves, develop awareness, and expand our horizons as well as those of other people.

When the potential for creativity meets the promise of skill, youve made contact with the creative spirit. Theres no holding you back now. Youve received that divine flash of inspiration, that aha! moment of illumination, and you are ready to take those creative risks. This is lucent creation!

Now, youre probably wondering exactly what it is that you need to do to assure yourself of creative success. You do need certain tools and skills to accomplish this task. First, you need a certain expertise in whatever arena youve chosen to pursue your creativity in. If you have zero knowledge in the field of science, odds are you will not make the next fantastic breakthrough in medicine or invent the replacement for the wheel. You must find the field that is your special interest and skill setting. Some expertise is essential for success, believe me I never in a million years thought I would evolve into a motivator, a coach or an inspirator, but guess whathere I am.

The next tool essential for your success is the ability to think creatively in your chosen field - being able to imagine a whole realm of possibilities. That includes the ability to turn things over in your mind until you find the answer. Persistence is required - that determination to keep on tackling a problem until you solve it. Know when to turn things upside down and look at them differently. You must know when to nurture the process of creativity and when to let it rest in your mind until its ready to fly free and it might be wise to allow some time for this flow to...flow.

Another vital tool in this search for creativity is courage - to be willing to take the creative risks and try something youve never tried before. You have to be open to whatever new possibilities that present themselves to you. You never know when ideas will come.

Finally, you must have passion - the desire to succeed no matter what. It doesnt matter what the end prize happens to be or what manner of compensation you might receive. The passion is all thats important - the desire to make whatever works, no matter what. Albert Einstein said, Sticking to it is the genius.

Most importantly, you must face any creative risk with the mind of a child, be able to color outside of the lines. Childhood is when creativity first comes to you. Will it grow or be stunted? You should always play like a child.

Children may not realize it, but playtime is actually a learning process. Its the brains favorite way to learn. The child learns about math, verbal skills, music, and visual arts during playtime. They learn to explore and they learn the thrill of discovery. They learn about their own culture and others as well. So, is it true that children are more creative than adults are?

During the Industrial Revolution, two hundred years ago, this country devised the educational system and started training people to be good little workers and always obey instructions. This didnt leave much room for individuality or nonconformity in our thinking. The good news is that todays educational system, for the most part, allows children to be more freethinking and creative.

Childlike creativity should be studied and emulated. Let yourself think that anything, even something outrageous, is possible. This will help you develop creative connections. The non-creative mind says, I cant, but the creative mind says, I can and heres how! If you can see, speak, hear, remember and understand, you too can be creative. Never, ever say youre not creative. Whatever you believe or disbelieve about yourself, youre right.

How do you feel about being creative? Do you tie creativity to strange, artsy, or flaky behavior? Do you feel suspicious of those with that description? Or maybe you automatically tie creativity with extremes of madness or psychosis. Im too down to earth to be creative! you proclaim.

Sometimes you are in possession of facts already known to the world at large. The difference is in your organization and interpretation of those facts. Perhaps your creativity lies in your ability to take a room full of people and convince them to make a buying decision. Maybe youve saved your company millions of dollars with a single idea. Ever resolved a conflict in your family or company? Guess what? Youre creative!

Maybe youve even been told how talented you are in a particular area; you may even know it to be true. So why be shy about it? But what do you do about it? How do you go about unleashing all that talent? How do you nurture it?

Lets go back to the idea of being more childlike, unhampered by daily life and stress. Lets play! Grab a drawing pad and colored pencils, and draw circles and patterns. If you have children of your own, borrow one of their coloring books and crayons, and join them in the coloring fun. Make objects of outrageous colors, just as children do. Again, color outside the lines, way outside the lines! Find yourself some clay or Playdoh and start sculpting; it doesnt have to be anything in particular; just have fun with it. Squish it, cut it, slice it, and then mash in all together again. Try making shapes with the clay.

Now youre asking, What on earth is the purpose of all that nonsense? Well, there is no purpose, you just need to play, have fun, and be free. Its amazing how much your brain will appreciate this no purpose playtime. You suddenly discover that youre more relaxed. You may even feel happy. Even your breathing rhythm is different while youre playing. Instead of the short, shallow breaths you take when youre stressed, youre now breathing deeply. Youre not experiencing the fight or flight sensation. Youre totally relaxed. You need to push the worries and stress aside once in a while. Do not worry about problems or deadlines, and just play, with no purpose whatsoever.

Just a few minutes a day of the no purpose play will make a world of difference in your creativity, problem solving, mediating, teaching, or anything else that you do. Youll soon realize its time to take that talent to the next level, so let that creativity come out more often and let yourself go. Stephen Nachmanovitch once said, The most potent muse of all is our own inner child.

Keep in mind though, that talent is not enough. Let me repeat this. You must have absolute passion and discipline to develop your creativity. You must be dedicated to commit to your talent. What does the word creative make you think about? Breathtaking art? Totally original thinking? Exciting musical composition? Astonishing inventions? Have you let yourself believe that its impossible for you to be creative?

You may have let yourself become a creature of habit over the years. Have you condemned yourself to be incapable of creative thought? Perhaps youve been stuck in a rut or boring routines, and you feel that you couldnt possibly be capable of change.

Now, imagine how your life would be if youre allowed to live it creatively, every day. You know youre creative and talented. What if the world around you treated you as such and you were allowed to nurture that talent, enhance your skills, and give your creative personality the attention it needs and deserves? Youd trust your own creative passions, be capable of solving any problem, and embrace your own creativity as a part of your very life - one of the necessary components to your happiness and mental health.

Remember that pure enjoyment is a key ingredient in your creative life. Eileen Caddy said, Live and work but do not forget to play, to have fun in life and really enjoy it. I too must keep reminding myself to play, to let go of this trifle called adulthood.